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Issue 193

On the Cover

High-performance HVAC systems

The key is in understanding how your building's systems work together

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Features

  • interior trim
    Selecting Paint-Grade Interior Trim

    Learn the pros and cons of common trim materials to choose molding that looks good and finishes well.

  • A Balcony Deck Built to Last

    Durable finish materials hide strong framing connections in a graceful design that overlooks the ocean.

  • Setting Up an Efficient Job-Site Shop

    A veteran trim carpenter shares his strategies for improving productivity, precision, and security.

  • Plumbing a Basement Bathroom

    Cutting through the slab is grunt work of the highest order, but a relatively easy way to get an extra bath.

  • A Better Home Right Now

    This concept home shows how smart design, advanced building practices, and modern technologies improve livability and energy performance.

  • A Smarter Way to Flash

    Removable two-part counterflashing allows access to roof flashings without digging in to the wall.

Article

  • Tools for Installing Fiber-Cement Siding

    The popularity of this durable, low-maintenance siding has bred a variety of tools to simplify and speed installation.

  • A Fence Forever

    Furniture-grade details dress up a steel-frame fence.

  • A Clever Kitchen Built-in

    Six small boxes joined behind a simple face frame exploit a shallow space.

Cross Section

  • Germans take first prize in solar competition

    College students design and build nearly net-zero energy homes

  • Web sites we like: February/March 2008 issue

    Where to recycle asphalt Want to drop off construction debris somewhere other than the landfill? Look to the Whole Building Design Group’s Web site for a state-by-state list of recycling…

  • Latinos Will Drive the Next Housing Boom

    In this 2008 interview, former secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros talks about predictions of an urban renaissance.

  • Psst ... want to buy some unused square footage?

    Boulder considers limiting the size of new houses

Tools & Materials

  • Pint-size miter saw

    7-1/4-in. Miter saw with laser trac

  • Trim takes a spin

    Trim Adjustor

  • Push-fit plumbing

    SharkBite push fittings

  • Studded traction for boots

    Stabilicers

Letters

  • Reader Feedback: Issue 193, February/March 2008

    Free electricity is affordable I’m so glad Fine Homebuilding is talking about domestic solar electricity (“The New Age of Photovoltaics,” FHB #192 and online at FineHomebuilding.com). Since going solar three-plus…

Finishing Touches

  • Celebrating Built-in Storage

    Consolidating beauty and function, built-in storage is an efficient, space-maximizing option

What is the Difference

  • What's the Difference: Fire-Resistant Drywall

    Type X and type C drywall are designed specifically to be used in fire-rated assemblies.

  • What's the Difference: Three-strand twisted rope

    Which type for which job?

Building Skills

  • Pulling stubborn nails

    Sometimes, a hammer claw is ideal; other situations might require a cat's paw or a pair of nippers.

Master Carpenter

  • Laminating a curved rail with a vacuum press

    When strip-laminating a curved piece of wood, a vacuum press can be a useful alternative to standard clamps

Great Moments

  • My $14,000 Lamp

    Great moments in building history: Who would have thought that a broken lamp would snowball into such an expensive repair job?

Drawing Board

  • laying out wainscot
    Laying Out Wainscot Paneling

    Address common problems that arise when planning for paneling and trim to ensure trouble-free installation.

Video

  • Video Vault: Nail Removal Tricks

    Remove nails the right way to salvage boards and save your hands

  • Custom Knives, Custom Moldings

    A tour inside The New England Woodworking Company's millwork shop

  • Cutting Fiber-Cement Siding with a Circular Saw

    For straight cuts of fiber cement, a specialized circular saw with a matching blade controls dust.

  • Cutting Curves and Holes in Fiber Cement

    A scribe, a hole saw, nibblers, and a jigsaw are all good options for cutting fiber cement when anything but a straight cut is required.

  • Cutting Fiber Cement with Shears

    Shears make a nice, clean cut while protecting both your siding material and your lungs

More? View Past Issues

Ask the Experts

  • Can This Dormer Be Saved?
  • Is a carriage bolt as strong as a machine bolt?
  • Does PV waste energy?
  • Electrical Outlets: Upside-Down or Right-Side-Up?
  • Tile backerboard

Readers Tips

  • An Improved Rafter Pattern
  • Clamping Obtuse Miter Joints
  • Matching Paint-Grade Trim
  • Cold-weather job-site dehumidifier
  • Crawlspace-Debris Removal
  • Site-built rotary wire brush
  • A better way to install threaded-pipe plugs

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 318 - October 2023
    • Make Mudsills Square and Level
    • Turn Up the Heat With Induction Cooktops
    • The Fine Homebuilding Interview: Lloyd Alter
  • Issue 317 - Aug/Sept 2023
    • Finishing Drywall With Seamless Results
    • A Flat Roof in a Cold Climate
    • Compact Cordless Shop Vacs
  • Issue 316 - July 2023
    • Timber-Framed Solar Canopies
    • Build a Transom Above a Stock Door
    • Understanding Toilet Design and Efficiency
  • Issue 315 - June 2023
    • How to Craft a Copper Roof
    • 5 Lessons from Building in a Cold Climate
    • The Advantages of Cellular PVC Siding
  • Issue 314 - April/May 2023
    • 7 Options for Countertops
    • Tool Test: Wood-Boring Bits
    • Critical Details for Ductless Heat Pumps

Fine Homebuilding

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